ProZ.com translation contests »
Bon voyage: "Stories about travel" » English to Serbo-Croat » Entry by Aleksandra Novakovic


Source text in English

Translation by Aleksandra Novakovic (#27404)

The moment when, 50 years ago, Neil Armstrong planted his foot on the surface of the Moon inspired awe, pride and wonder around the world. This newspaper argued that “man, from this day on, can go wheresoever in the universe his mind wills and his ingenuity contrives…to the planets, sooner rather than later, man is now certain to go.” But no. The Moon landing was an aberration, a goal achieved not as an end in itself but as a means of signalling America’s extraordinary capabilities. That point, once made, required no remaking. Only 571 people have been into orbit; and since 1972 no one has ventured much farther into space than Des Moines is from Chicago.

The next 50 years will look very different. Falling costs, new technologies, Chinese and Indian ambitions, and a new generation of entrepreneurs promise a bold era of space development. It will almost certainly involve tourism for the rich and better communications networks for all; in the long run it might involve mineral exploitation and even mass transportation. Space will become ever more like an extension of Earth—an arena for firms and private individuals, not just governments. But for this promise to be fulfilled the world needs to create a system of laws to govern the heavens—both in peacetime and, should it come to that, in war.

The development of space thus far has been focused on facilitating activity down below—mainly satellite communications for broadcasting and navigation. Now two things are changing. First, geopolitics is stoking a new push to send humans beyond the shallows of low-Earth orbit. China plans to land people on the Moon by 2035. President Donald Trump’s administration wants Americans to be back there by 2024. Falling costs make this showing off more affordable than before. Apollo cost hundreds of billions of dollars (in today’s money). Now tens of billions are the ticket price.

[ … ]

It is a mistake to promote space as a romanticised Wild West, an anarchic frontier where humanity can throw off its fetters and rediscover its destiny. For space to fulfil its promise governance is required. At a time when the world cannot agree on rules for the terrestrial trade of steel bars and soybeans that may seem like a big ask. But without it the potential of all that lies beyond Earth will at best wait another 50 years to be fulfilled. At worst space could add to Earth’s problems.
Trenutak kada je pre pedeset godina Nil Armstrong kročio na Mesečevo tlo, pokrenuo je lavinu nadahnuća, ponosa i čuda širom sveta. U ovom listu se komentarisalo o tvrdnji da "čovek od današnjeg dana može da ode u bilo koji deo kosmosa koji svojim umom i genijalnošću može zamisliti...sada je sigurno da može stići do planeta za kratko vreme." Međutim, nije tako. Sletanje na Mesec bilo je neuobičajena pojava, koja nije predstavljala cilj samog projekta, već način da se istakne izvanredna moć Amerike. Nakon postignutog cilja nije bilo potrebe za ponavljanjem. Do sada je samo 571 osoba boravila u orbiti; a od 1972. godine niko nije kročio na veću udaljenost u kosmos od one koja je između De Mojna i Čikaga.

Narednih pedeset godina izgledaće dosta drugačije. Pad cena, nove tehnologije, ambicije Kine i Indije i nova generacija preduzetnika obećavaju dolazak ere kosmičkog razvoja. To će, sasvim sigurno, podrazumevati i turizam za bogate i bolje komunikacione mreže za sve; na duže staze moglo bi doći i do eksploatacije mineralnih resursa, čak i do masovnog transporta. Kosmos će postati nešto nalik proširenju Zemlje - teren, ne samo za vlade, već i za preduzeća i pojedince. Ipak, da bi se sve ovo ostvarilo, svet treba da stvori sistem zakona za upravljanje nebeskim prostranstvom - kako u miru, tako i u slučaju rata.

Do sada je razvoj kosmosa bio usmeren na olakšanje aktivnosti na Zemlji - uglavnom na satelitsku komunikaciju za prenos i navigaciju. Sada dolazi do promene u dva aspekta. Prvo, geopolitika daje novi podsticaj da se ljudska rasa pošalje izvan plitke Zemljine orbite. Kina planira da sleti na Mesec do 2035. godine. Administracija predsednika Donalda Trampa nastoji da se Amerikanci do 2024. ponovo nađu tamo. Smanjenje troškova čini sve to pristupačijim nego ranije. Apolo je koštao stotine milijadi dolara (prema sadašnjim novčanim parametrima). Sada cena karte iznosi desetine milijardi dolara.

Greška je predstavljati kosmos kao romansirani Divlji zapad, kao granicu bezakonja gde ljudski rod može da odbaci okove i iznova pronađe svoju sudbinu. Da bi kosmos ispunio očekivanja, potrebno je upravljanje. U vremenima kada svet ne može da se složi po pitanju pravila trgovine čelikom i sojom, to može izgledati kao preveliki zalogaj. Međutim, bez toga, potencijal koji postoji izvan granica Zemlje će, u najboljem slučaju, sačekati narednih pedeset godina da se ostvari. U najgorem slučaju kosmos može da postane još jedan problem više na Zemlji.


Discuss this entry